The last time we reviewed dog hair removing tools, I missed out. I bought the products, photographed them, and sent them off to Pat Miller, our training editor and regular product reviewer. I ended up with only one tool, a duplicate that I ordered accidentally.
Well, the Millers needed them more than me, I suppose; at the time, Pat and her husband owned four dogs and two cats. I had only one dog and one cat. But I wear black a lot, and my dog had a lot of white in his coat. So I used the heck out of that tool – pretty much wore out the stickiness. And now I’ve got a little yellow and white dog, who has to be picked up and cuddled, dozens of times a day. It was way past time to review hair removers again – only this time, I didn’t let them out of my sight.
It’s been fun, hugging my little dog with impunity, since I’ve got hair removers all over my house and in my car.
Different strokes
A few of the 10 products I tested are tape-rollers; you roll them over fabric until the tape is no longer adhesive; then you pick off the outermost sheet, discard, and begin again. A few use an electrostatic charge to attract loose hair from your clothes or upholstery; then you pull the collected hair off and dispose of it. One uses a “one-way” fabric, so if you brush your clothes in one direction, it wipes lint and hair off (and if you inadvertently wipe the wrong way, you load your outfit with even more hair and lint). The last one, my personal favorite, uses a bizarre sticky substance that securely picks up hair, and can be rinsed off under a tap to start over, good as new.
Looking back over the comments made by Miller in her review of some of the same and some similar products a few years ago, I realized that this is one of the instances when it’s impossible to be completely objective; our regard for products that work almost equally well depends on our personal needs and preferences. Despite the different approaches to the task, most of these products excel at picking up hair (and lint and dirt and other dog-related debris); some are simply better suited to certain applications than others. I’ll take a shot at rating each product, but don’t hesitate to buy a lower-rated product if it is perfectly suited to your needs.
Note: I found these products offered for sale in many catalogs and pet supply stores. I’ve listed just two sources for them, outlets that sold the products for the lowest price – not including shipping. Include shipping costs when you compare prices between catalogs and local pet supply stores.
Top products
The Tacky Pick-Up, made by Classic Products, is my personal favorite hair and lint remover because of its effectiveness, economy, and longevity. It works well on any fabric, strongly attracting any loose hair and debris, but does not require the purchase of refills, like the tape-based rollers. Instead, the lint and hair rinses off the roller under a tap. Using this tool is more time- and labor-intensive than using a tape roller, because it is so effective; it picks up so much debris that completely cleaning a hair-covered coat or sweater, for instance, might require four or five rinses. But you don’t ever have to buy refills!
I’ve had one of these rollers for years, and the sticky material only recently quit rinsing clean, compromising its effectiveness. Unfortunately, in anticipation of the new products’ arrival, I threw it away. The package on the new model says that when the product becomes less effective, the roller can be cleaned with alcohol to restore its stick. D’oh!
Years ago we reviewed a similar product that utilized a sheet of plastic to cover the roller when not in use, and we found it quite difficult to tear the cover off the sticky material each time. Classic Products solved that problem by including a hard plastic case that covers but does not touch the tacky substance. We love it.
Here’s the only drawback: You have to be close to a faucet to use it for more than one pass over your outfit. That would do the trick if you had just a few stray hairs on you, but wouldn’t do at all if you were more liberally covered. So, I’d have to say this is my favorite at-home hair pick-up tool.
For removing hair from my clothes while I’m in my car, at the gym, or on a business trip, I’d carry one of the tape-based devices. It wouldn’t be cost-effective to use one of these tools all the time, but they are perfect for situations where you have to be hair- and lint-free (and there is no sink).
My favorite tape-based roller is Evercare’s Pet Hair Pic-Up. Its label boasts “37% stickier than the leading competitor.” I giggled at that claim – how could that possibly be verified? – until I grabbed both rolls with my bare hands. Well, gosh, the Evercare product is stickier than one competitor I compared it to, Hair Busters; I just don’t know if it’s “37%” stickier. I do know that it’s easier to remove hair-covered sheets from the Pet Hair Pic-Up than from Hair Busters. For these reasons, I’m giving the Evercare product a half-paw higher rating.
Refills for the Pet Care Pic-Up cost us $2.70 each; Hair Buster refills are $2.60. Each contained 60 sheets.
Evercare also makes the Large Surface Pet Hair Pic-Up, utilizing a similarly sticky tape on a 10-inch roller, perfect for cleaning the couch. It cost $10 with a short handle, or $14 for a kit with the short handle and a 50-inch extension handle. Refill rolls cost $5.50 for 25 sheets, or $7.50 for 50 sheets.
At this point I have to mention a new product, the Lint Card. This business card-sized packet encloses four business card-sized adhesive sheets that are clearly not intended for major hair removal, but are perfect for quick, final sweeps over your outfit, say, just before a job interview. The packet fits neatly in even the slimmest wallet or skirt pocket, and the sheets are easy to peel away and dispose. The small size of the product makes it uneconomical to use every day, but I’ve found it to be well worth the price to have a couple in my purse for outfit emergencies.
The Lint Card’s manufacturer sells directly to consumers, but is seeking retail outlets, so ask your local pet supply store to buy them in bulk and carry them for you for a break in the price.
Look back on past articles in the Whole Dog Journal archives, and you’ll see a wealth of information on basic training and management – two vitally important topics. There comes a time, however, when dog and owner need to move past the basics to more advanced concepts of learning and behavior if they want to develop and enjoy their relationship to the fullest. Let’s explore a few of the concepts that can take you and your dog beyond “Sit happens!” to the hallowed halls of higher canine education.
Generalization in Dog Training
You will often hear trainers say that dogs don’t “generalize” well. This means that just because Buddy learns to sit beautifully in your living room, he may not necessarily sit when you ask him to at the checkout counter of your favorite pet supply store. He thinks “sit” means “sit in the comfort of my own living room.” You think he’s being stubborn because he “knows” how to sit, when in fact he really only knows how to sit on cue at home; he hasn’t learned to generalize the behavior.
The statement that “dogs don’t generalize well” is actually only a half-truth. Most dog owners can tell stories of “one-trial” learning, where a single experience taught a dog to fear men with beards and hats, or to chase cats that run, or instilled some other high-arousal, strong behavioral response.
For the most part, behaviors that don’t generalize well are those that involve operant conditioning, where the dog acts on the environment. Fido has to learn that he can make good things happen by sitting. Behaviors that involve a strong emotional response such as fear or the chase instinct are quite often learned in a single incident, say, a man with a hat and beard tripped over him and startled him, or a cat jumped out in front of him, hissing and spitting, tantalizingly close, and he gave adrenaline-pumping chase.
In these cases of classical conditioning, where the environment acts on the dog, Fido doesn’t have to learn an emotional response, it just happens. It’s easy for the response to happen the next time Fido sees a man with hat and beard or a cat, even if the man doesn’t trip over him or the cat doesn’t jump up and run.
So how do you help your dog learn to generalize operant behaviors (where the dog acts on the environment)? By doing exactly what your trainer told you to do: practice with your dog in as many different places as possible. In line at the bank. At the dog park. On your walks around the block. In the waiting room at the vet hospital. In the aisles of the pet supply store. In addition, if a dog has truly generalized his “sit” cue, he will sit if you whisper it, yell it, if you’re standing next to him, sitting on a chair, or lying on the floor across the room.
The more behaviors you help him generalize, the easier it becomes for him to generalize each new behavior. Before long, you’ll have a dog who is as well-behaved in public as he is in the comfort of his own home.
Developing Your Dog’s Discrimination Skills
Ah, the “D” word – a very bad word in employment or politics, but a very useful one in dog training.
In training, discrimination has nothing to do with skin color. It has to do with teaching your dog to differentiate between one or more relevant stimuli from all the other stimuli in the environment at the time. That means that he sits when you say “sit,” and doesn’t sit when you say “down.” He may learn to bark when he hears your doorbell, and generalize that to all doorbells, including the one on your favorite TV show. You could, if you wanted, teach him to discriminate, and only bark when he hears your doorbell, not any others.
In more complex discrimination exercises, you can teach your dog to distinguish one object from another. In Utility (upper level) obedience competitions, each dog must do a “scent discrimination” exercise. Using his nose, he must find the object that his handler touched amidst a pile of similar objects not touched by the handler, and bring the correct object back to his human.
There was a lovely example of discrimination on Pet Starz recently. A small, elderly Beagle correctly retrieved a half-dozen items from a bag, one at a time, after being cued each time by his owner to get the item by name. The dog was letter-perfect.
You can teach your dog discrimination with objects by asking him to bring you his toys, one by one, as you name them. This skill can be extended to your slippers, portable phone, car keys, etc. This is a vital skill for assistance dogs, and would be a useful thing for the canine companions of any person who has limited mobility.
You can also teach your dog discrimination with locations by teaching him to go to different designated spots. For example, “Go to bed” might mean you want him to lie down in his kennel, while “Go settle” might mean you want him to lie down on his bed in the corner of the dining room.
You can even teach him discrimination with people, by teaching him the names of all your family members, and then asking him to “Find Timmy,” “Find Susie,” “Find Dad,” etc.
How to Use Targeting to Build Your Dog’s Discrimination Skills
Targeting is very useful when you are teaching your dog to discriminate. If you have not already taught him to “Touch!” on cue, you’ll want to start there. If he’s already targeting to your hand, you’re all set to teach him to identify – and find – family members.
Remind him of his “Touch!” behavior by having him target to your hand several times for clicks and treats. Now add another family member to the exercise. Have the person (we’ll call him Timmy) stand next to you, and instruct him to offer his hand as a target immediately after you say “Touch.” With your dog on leash facing you both, say “Timmy, touch!” It will be tempting to say “Touch Timmy,” since this makes more sense to our human brains. Remember, to avoid blocking, the new cue must precede the known cue. If your dog’s targeting is strong – and most dogs love to target – he will recognize Timmy’s body language cue when the boy offers his hand, and bump his cold wet nose into the offered target.
Repeat this several times until you’re confident that your dog is targeting well to Timmy. Then have Timmy take a step away from you and continue your “Timmy, touch!” cues, with your child offering his hand as the target. At this point, have Timmy make a less noticeable gesture with his target hand, until he can stand with his hands at this side and the dog will still target to him. You can also drop the “Touch” from the cue, since the word “Timmy” should have gained salience by now.
Gradually move Timmy farther and farther away from you and continue the exercises, starting each time with your dog next to you. Remember, the goal is to have him move away from you to the designated target – Timmy. Have Timmy treat him when you click, and then you click and treat when you call him back to you.
Note:It will probably take several sessions to accomplish this whole exercise. Remember to always stop the training before your dog’s enthusiasm (or yours) starts to wane.
When your dog will target to Timmy from across the room, have your child step out of the room, so the dog has to search for him. Add “Find” to your cue, so you are now asking your dog to “Find Timmy!” If you continue to increase the difficulty level, your dog will eventually be able to find Timmy when he’s hidden in closets, behind trees, or even if he’s really lost!
But back to our discrimination exercise. When your dog targets well to Timmy, do the same thing with another family member, perhaps your spouse. (Of course, now you will use your spouse’s name instead of “Timmy!”) When your dog will target well to at least two family members, you can try your first discrimination exercise.
Have both family members with you, on opposite sides of the room. Stand in the middle with your dog by your side so you are both facing more toward Timmy, and say “Find Timmy!” If he targets to Timmy, click! (or use whatever marker you use, such as the word “Yes!”) and give your dog a treat. If he targets to your spouse, everyone should ignore him until he decides to try Timmy. Then, he gets the click! and treat. If he loses interest in the challenge before he gets to Timmy, call him back to you and try again, but this time move closer to Timmy and face him more clearly.
Play with this step for a while, alternating randomly between your two family members, gradually using less of your own body language to help your dog make the right choice, and gradually moving your two targets closer together. When he can make the right choice eight out of ten times with Timmy and your spouse standing five feet apart, you’re ready to add a third person.
Yes, it takes some work, but it’s fun work. It lets you enjoy the captivating experience of watching your dog think, while at the same time teaching him a useful skill. When he’s good, you can have him carry messages to your family, like “Dinner’s ready!” or “Five minutes until the school bus arrives!” And if Timmy ever falls down a well, your dog can find him!
Salience in Dog Training
When we say something is salient to a dog, we mean it has noticeable significance to him. Your dog can learn to sit even in the face of distractions because the hot dog you hold in front of his face is very salient. When we associate the hot dog with the verbal cue (“sit!”), the cue itself becomes significant. The salient stimuli in the environment – you, your hot dogs, and the sit cue – are more significant than the distractions. They overshadow the dog barking across the street, the skateboarder whizzing by on the road, the slamming of a car door down the block.
If your dog is too distracted to respond to the sit cue, then the distractions are more salient than you and your hot dogs. You either need to move your training to a less distracting environment, or find a way to make you, your treats, and your cues, more significant to your dog.
Blocking Cues for Our Dogs
This term refers to a phenomenon that occurs when the use of a known cue overrides the dog’s ability to learn a new cue for the same behavior. Keep in mind that, while dogs can only learn one response to a particular cue (“sit” must always mean sit, it can’t sometimes mean lie down), they can learn several cues that all mean the same behavior.
Dubhy, our Scottie, can lie down in response to the “down” cue in English, French, Spanish, German, and two different hand signals. This happened as a result of his role as a demo dog in some of my classes.
I use the “down” exercise to introduce my students to the importance of teaching their dogs to respond to verbal cues without body language assistance. We start by having the handlers lure the down, and as soon as their dogs will lie down easily by following the (treat) lure, we introduce the verbal cue; any new cue you teach must always precede the known cue. I use a demo dog to show them that the dog doesn’t initially understand or respond to the word “down” until we associate it with the luring motion that means “down” to the dog. The motion is salient to the dog; the word is not.
I explain that in order for the dog to hear the word and learn that it also has significance, they must say the word first, then lure the dog down.
If they give the verbal cue at the same time or after they lure, the lure blocks the dog’s ability to learn the new cue.
With enough repetitions of the sequence – verbal cue, followed by lure and click! (or another marker), and treat when the dog performs the behavior – the dog will learn that the verbal cue also has salience, and you will no longer need to lure him down; he will lie down when you give him the verbal cue.
As to Dubhy’s multilingual talents? As soon as he learned a new verbal cue for “down,” I could no longer use that cue to show my students what to do when the dog hadn’t yet learned the word; Dubhy would go down too quickly. I had to keep switching to new verbal cues in order to show them how to avoid blocking when adding a new cue for a known behavior.
Chaining and Backchaining in Dog Training
These are two important concepts that come into play when teaching your dog a complex sequence of behaviors. The behaviors are linked together so that each behavior is the signal for the next behavior in the chain. When a musician learns to play a piece by memory, she is chaining; each note or chord draws her forward to the next note or chord in the piece without her having to stop and think about what comes next.
The show ring obedience retrieve is an example of a chained behavior. With her dog sitting at heel, the handler tosses the dumbbell, then gives the cue to “Take it!” Without any further instructions, the dog runs out to the dumbbell, picks it up, returns to his handler, and sits in front of her, still holding the dumbbell until the handler gives the cue to release it and return to heel.
The “retrieve over high jump” is performed in the same manner, except the dog knows to sail over the jump in both directions, going out and coming back, again without further cues from the handler.
With backchaining, you begin by teaching the last behavior in the chain, and then add each step in reverse order, until the dog performs the complete behavior. The theory is that when you teach the last thing first, your dog always moves toward the thing he knows best, so he gains confidence as he learns the new links in the chain.
The song, “Twelve Days of Christmas,” is a classic example of backchaining. You may forget how many “lords a-leaping,” or how many “maids a-milking” but I’d bet you never forget that partridge in the pear tree, and you get faster and more confident in once you get to the five golden rings.
We recently placed a ramp over the three steps from our deck to our backyard so Dusty, our aging Pomeranian, could go up and down more easily. Dusty was afraid of the ramp. I tried luring him up, but he refused to set more than his front two feet on the surface. So we backchained. I set him on the top of the ramp, one body-length from the deck, and lured him up to safety. He did that easily, and after several repetitions I placed him a little farther down the ramp and lured him up to the deck. It took less than 15 minutes to get him confidently running up the ramp. Then we reversed it, and in just a few minutes he was running down the ramp as easily as he was running up.
The Premack Principle
No, there is no Mack or Postmack, as one of my interns wondered recently. Premack is the scientist (first name David) who in the mid 1960s demonstrated that you can use a more rewarding behavior as the reinforcer for a less rewarding behavior, thereby improving the performance of the lesser behavior.
This principle is also sometimes called “Grandma’s Law,” as in, “You have to eat your vegetables before you can have dessert.” If your dog would rather chase a squirrel than come when you call, you can use the Premack principle to teach him that he will get to chase a squirrel (sometimes) if he comes to you first. Start by applying Premack indoors in a controlled environment, and move outside when he’s doing well.
Leave your dog on a sit-stay and walk across the room. Position a helper with a plate of smelly treats halfway between you, slightly off to one side. The helper should have a bowl to cover the treats with if your dog tries to eat them. Now call your dog. If he stops to investigate the treats, the helper covers the bowl, keeping him from having a taste. Keep calling your dog cheerfully and enthusiastically. When he comes to you, say “Good boy!” and “Go get it!” Race with your dog back to the treats, now uncovered, and let him have some. Then cover the bowl and try again. Eventually – quickly, for some dogs – he will realize that he gets the treats if he comes to you first, and he will fly past the uncovered plate as fast as he can.
There are a couple of drawbacks to using Premack in real life: If the vegetables are too unpalatable, dessert may also lose its appeal; and you can’t control squirrels.
Habituation and Learned Irrelevance in Dog Training
These two concepts are quite similar. Habituation occurs when a dog learns to ignore an environmental stimulus, such as a startling noise, like the ringing of the telephone, or a disturbing sight, like a realistic statue of a dog. A dog who has never lived indoors may discover all sorts of disturbing stimuli if he’s brought into a household.
Dubhy, the multi-lingual Scottie, was six months old when we found him as a stray and brought him home to join our pack. He had clearly never lived in a house before, and when he saw his reflection in a full-length mirror he spent several minutes, on several occasions, peering behind the door to try to find the other dog. Eventually he habituated to the sight of the elusive Scottie and stopped looking.
Habituation is useful for training because dogs can learn to adapt to stimuli that are initially quite startling and distracting.
However, sometimes the opposite effect occurs – sensitization. Some dogs, rather than habituating to a sound such as the telephone, become more and more reactive each time the stimulus occurs. Thunder phobia is a perfect example of this.
Learned irrelevance, while similar to habituation, applies to a dog who has learned to ignore a cue, rather than becoming accustomed to a startling stimulus. This is not deliberate defiance on the dog’s part, but simply his response to a cue that has failed to have consistent and sufficiently strong significance attached to it. The cue becomes meaningless if it doesn’t have a consequence. It’s not salient.
“Come” is the most common example of this. Many dog owners use this word to call their dogs long before they ever take the time to actually train their dogs to come on cue. By the time they try to teach the dog to come, the dog has already learned that the word has no meaning.
The insidious thing about learned irrelevance is that once it has taken place, it’s very difficult to instill salience to the cue. If your dog has learned that the word “come” has no meaning, it will be easier for you to train him to come with a new cue than to try to make the old one significant. I have heard people use “Close,” “Let’s Go,” and “Here” in place of an irrelevant “Come!”
Applying the Principle of Parsimony to Dog Training
This scientific principle applies to situations beyond dog behavior and training, but it’s very applicable here too, and one of my favorites. It says, “Unless there is evidence to the contrary, you must account for a phenomenon with the simplest explanation available.” Or, as one of my favorite radio personalities likes to say, “When you hear hoofbeats, think horses, not zebras.”
If your adult dog has a single housetraining accident, the simplest behavioral explanation is that he had to relieve himself. Stress, bladder infections, and tumors are lower down the list, and “spite” doesn’t even merit consideration. The appropriate response is to monitor his water intake and bathroom trips for a week or so to make sure he gets ample potty opportunities. If he continues to have accidents, then a more complex behavioral or medical cause would be suspect.
If your dog often pulls on the leash, the simple behavioral explanation is that he wants to go faster than you do. Dominance and defiance aren’t even in the picture. If he normally walks politely on leash but suddenly starts pulling, simple explanations would be that something frightened him and he’s trying to get away from it, or something very enticing is in front of him and he’s trying to get to it. Again, dominance and other complex motives are unlikely.
As you can see, training can be a little more complicated than the basic “sit,” click!, and treat. The more you learn about the workings of your dog’s brain, the better you’ll understand how and why he does what he does, and the better prepared you are to respond appropriately. It can only enhance your already wonderful relationship with your best friend.
ADVANCED DOG TRAINING CONCEPTS: OVERVIEW
1. Use advanced training concepts to achieve your goals: modifying an inappropriate behavior or teaching a desired complex one.
2. “Backchaining” can be used to teach your dog a complicated series of behaviors on just one cue.
3. Use the Premack principle to teach your dog to pass up an opportunity to chase squirrels.
1. Consider hawthorn as a supplement for a dog with heart problems – especially high or low blood pressure, and arrhythmia.
2. Use hawthorn as a tonic for older dogs, in conjunction with an improved diet.
As a traveling, lecturing herbalist, I often hear the question of whether herbs might be helpful in treating old or debilitated dogs with chronic disease.
My answer: Yes – especially when used to supplement a good, natural diet and to strengthen or “tonify” the body’s natural healing functions. When used in this capacity, we refer to herbs as herbal tonics.
Unlike most conventional drugs, tonic herbs do not suppress or replace natural functions in the body. Instead, they serve to improve the body’s efforts to stay healthy. Tonic herbs are neither drug-like remedies nor foods, but stand somewhere in between, providing supplemental measures of support that help bridge the gaps between what a body needs from diet and what it needs in terms of specific, added support.
Most tonic herbs do their work by providing special nutrients, enzymes, and other chemicals that the body needs to bring deficient or overtaxed organs and systems into higher levels of efficiency.
Hawthorn (Crataegus species), a tonic herb that has been used for centuries to improve cardiac function and output, is a classic example. Hawthorn does not initiate any immediate changes in heart function, but does so very gently over time, without adding stress or interfering with other body functions. Hawthorn helps support the heart and cardiovascular system in ways that no food or drug can.
Hawthorn is a Preventative Heart Tonic
Hundreds of scientific studies have validated hawthorn’s usefulness as a heart tonic.
It is well known that hawthorn dilates both coronary vessels and vessels of the brain, helping to increase circulation and the transport of nutrients and oxygen throughout the body.
It accomplishes this in a very effective and unique fashion: while it acts to dilate major vessels, it also increases blood flow from the heart to compensate for any reduction of arterial blood volume. In other words, it helps the body push more blood around by increasing cardiac output and decreasing blood flow resistance in the arteries, i.e., more blood flow at less pressure. This has been shown in studies performed with dogs, especially when used in small doses over an extended period.
Hawthorn also serves as a blood pressure regulator. Although the mechanisms of this activity baffle herbalists and scientists alike, the herb tends to gently elevate low blood pressure, and decrease high blood pressure. This is really quite amazing, especially when we consider the fact that hawthorn does this while increasing cardiac output. By helping with dilation of coronary arteries and strengthening heartbeat, hawthorn improves blood circulation without adversely effecting blood pressure.
Another well-documented benefit of hawthorn is its ability to steady and strengthen a weak or erratic heartbeat – such as that of elderly or energetically challenged dogs. In human applications hawthorn has been used as an alternative to antiarrhythmia drugs like digitalis, and to improve the effects of that and other cardiac drugs.
Hawthorn is also a great antioxidant. It scavenges free radicals that rob the blood of oxygen and may lead to various forms of vascular disease. Herbalists also use the herb to lower blood cholesterol.
All of these activities are largely attributed to a vast assortment of flavonoid constituents held within the berries, leaves, flowers, and twigs of hawthorn. Although flavonoids are also found in many other kinds of fruits (especially raspberries, blueberries, and other red or blue fruits), hawthorn is an especially rich source.
Studies have shown that flavonoids are essential in maintaining disease resistance and the integrity of smooth muscle tissues throughout the body. Some studies even suggest that hawthorn may help prevent myocardial damage in situations where the heart muscle is subjected to physiological stress. This means that animals such as race horses or working dogs who are constantly under cardiovascular stress will likely find preventive benefits from daily supplements of hawthorn.
And to top everything off, hawthorn is very, very safe. In fact, in the hundreds of animal studies that have been conducted with this herb over the past 100 years, hawthorn has shown extremely low toxicity in every animal tested. I place the risk of hawthorn berry toxicity on about the same level as that presented by rose hips, raspberries, or blueberries. In other words, I consider them all as medicinal foods.
Daily Hawthorne Use Shows Cardiac Improvements
It stands to reason that this cardiovascular tonic is useful in the daily care of any older dog, but especially those who suffer from chronic heart problems such as arrhythmia, congestive heart failure, postsurgical dysfunction, or other cardiac anomalies that have weakened the heart’s ability to pump blood.
I consider hawthorn to be strongly indicated in virtually any case where damage to the heart muscle has resulted from heartworm infestation, bacterial or viral infections, or protracted chemotherapy.
I also find hawthorn useful in cases of renal failure, especially in early stages of the disease. When combined with ginkgo biloba (for small capillary circulation) and herbs that improve urinary function, hawthorn may be useful for getting more blood and oxygen into renal arteries and smaller vessels of the kidneys. This, in theory, is thought to slow degeneration of whatever healthy tissue remains in the diseased organs.
What is Hawthorn, Anyway?
Hawthorn is small deciduous tree or large shrub (up to 16 feet tall) that is easily recognized and quickly remembered by its nasty one- to three-inch curved thorns, which are strategically spaced along the branches – often at eye-level! The alternate leaves are narrowly fan-shaped or ovate and are presented on short petioles. The margins of the one- to two-inch-long leaves are toothed, with tips all pointing distinctly forward.
Blooms appear on the hawthorn plants from around April through June. The white, quarter-inch flowers are presented in flat, terminate clusters; each blossom with five petals and numerous stamens. When in full bloom, the blossoms often have an unpleasant “dead” odor. In late summer the flowers are replaced with clusters of red to black berries, each containing two to five seeds.
The Crataegus genus is large and varied, with hundreds of species (all of which readily hybridize) in North America. Most species are found in riparian thickets, where they serve as important forage and nesting habitats for birds and other wildlife. While Crataegus oxyacantha and C. monogyna are the primary hawthorns of commerce, C. douglasii is one of the most common and widespread wild species of North America. While very little study has been done to ascertain which species are most useful, most herbalists will agree that all of them hold therapeutic value.
How to Feed Hawthorn to Your Dog
When combined with a good natural diet and other tonic herbs, hawthorn will act exactly as an herbal heart tonic should – to fill the special cardiac needs in the golden years of an animal’s life.
Other tonic herbs can be used in combination with hawthorn to round out the supplemental needs of older animals. These might include ginkgo or yarrow (for strengthening capillary walls and improving blood supply to the kidneys and extremities); garlic (for added antioxidant and immune system support); alfalfa and red clover (to nourish the blood, increase appetite, and raise energy levels); dandelion leaf (to assist in the removal of excess water); and oat tops (as a nervous system tonic).
In the natural pet product industry, the berries of hawthorn are the most commonly used part of this plant. This is probably because they make such palatable medicine. However, the flowering branch ends (leaves, flower buds, twigs, thorns and all) are fine medicine too, and can be clipped into small pieces and brewed into a decoction (a simmered tea). However, unlike the berries, the “twig tea” tastes awful!
If you are lucky enough to have a hawthorn tree near your home and a dog that likes red fruit, you can pick the ripe berries and feed them as tonic treats.
Or, when the berries become fully ripe, they can be picked, dried on a clean sheet of paper, and ground with a mortar or pestle (be forewarned that they burn out small coffee grinders!) into a coarse powder. The powder can then be added to your companion’s diet at a rate of one teaspoon per pound of food fed each day.
If your pup won’t eat the berries either way, try making a tea (with about a teaspoon of dried berries and a cup of hot water) and pouring it over his food. If that doesn’t work, you can use gel caps wrapped with expensive, imported Brie cheese (just kidding!). Better yet, you can use a liquid hawthorn tincture (one-half tsp. for small dogs; one-half to one tsp. for larger dogs). Alcohol-free, glycerin-based tinctures are quite sweet and easiest to feed.
Greg Tilford is a well-known expert in the field of veterinary herblism. An international lecturer and teacher of veterinarians and pet owners alike, Greg has written four books on herbs, including All You Ever Wanted to Know About Herbs for Pets (Bowie Press, 1999).
For those of us who share our homes with companion animals, trying to understand the news about “mad cow” disease is what’s truly maddening. The newspapers and newscasters told us that a cow with bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) was slaughtered and its meat distributed to food stores, but we shouldn’t worry, because the tissues that are capable of carrying the infective matter never made it into the human food chain.
But what about a pet food chain? There is no law prohibiting pet food makers from using the cattle tissues (mostly, the brain and spinal cord) that can be infected with the agent that causes BSE in cattle and can cause variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (vCJD) in humans. Are our dogs vulnerable to “mad cow” disease?
According to all reputable research: No. There has never been a confirmed case of a transmissible spongiform encephalopathy (TSE) in dogs. Cats, however, can develop a form of the deadly disease, feline spongiform encephalopathy (FSE), from eating food that contains certain tissues from an infected animal. And pet food that contained infected tissue could pose a threat to humans – if they were to eat it. Don’t scoff; you’ve never known a baby or toddler who tried some of Fido’s kibble?
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) have put rules into place that take aim at nearly all the ways that BSE is known to pose a concern – rules that address the BSE-testing program, slaughter practices, cattle feed, and more. A risk assessment study conducted by the Harvard School of Public Health, published in 2001 (and revised in late 2003) credits the FDA and the USDA rules for reducing the risk for infectious tissues to contaminate human food to nearly zero.
However, the Harvard study also speculated that any new cases of BSE in this country would result primarily from lack of compliance with the regulations enacted to protect animal feed. Central to those rules is the 1997 FDA ban on feeding most mammalian proteins to ruminants – the practice thought to be responsible for the proliferation of BSE in Europe. Also enacted in 1997 was a rule stating that animal feeds containing mammalian proteins must carry a cautionary statement that reads “Do not feed to cattle or other ruminants.” Pet foods, however, are not required to carry the caution.
Long shot, but still… According to some experts, the current rules don’t close every gap in human and animal safety. For example, it is theoretically (if not statistically) possible for a person to develop vCJD or a cat to develop FSE if a symptom-free but BSE-infected cow was slaughtered, its high-risk tissues (such as the brain and spinal column, which are known to contain the infectious agent) were rendered into “meat and bone meal,” which was then used in pet food, and the pet food was eaten by a human or a cat.
The scenario described above presumes the U.S. is home to cattle who are infected with BSE but are as yet undetected. While the FDA and USDA continue to insist that our meat supply is safe, the report from a subcommittee of international experts on BSE, convened by the USDA in late January 2004, speculated that BSE should now be considered to be “indigenous” to North America – a statement that the USDA does not support.
Also contained in the subcommittee’s report was the recommendation that “specified risk materials” (SRMs) – the tissues that are known to host the infectious agent that causes TSEs – be banned from all animal feed, including pet food.
So far, the FDA has not moved to ban SRMs from pet food or feed for non-ruminant animals like swine and poultry. Linda Grassie, an FDA spokeswoman, told us, “Although we will examine the International Review Subcommittee recommendations carefully, at this time we remain convinced that the many new safeguards we announced (in late January) provide the most comprehensive and scientifically justified firewalls available to protect animals and the public health against BSE.”
Feed control officials want more controls Ben Jones, president of the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO), thinks there is ample room to strengthen the current regulations to further protect humans and animals, including cats. AAFCO is supportive of SRMs being banned from all animal feeds and requiring the caution statement on all pet foods containing prohibited proteins (the ones that can no longer be fed to ruminants), such as meat and bone meal.
“Many consumers have not keyed into the fact that the product sitting in their homes and on their shelves contains prohibited material,” Jones says. “Children sometimes consume pet foods out of their companion animals’ bowls. I saw my daughter do that, years ago when she was young. I have no evidence to support it, but I’ve heard reports that indicate certain segments of the U.S. population utilize dog food as a source of nutrition.” Cat owners, too, are also generally unaware that cats can develop FSE, and that the materials that can transmit the disease could be in the cat food, says Jones.
While the FDA was fast to recall all the meat that came from the BSE-infected cow found in Washington, experts say it would have been safe to eat, even for humans and cats. This is because the agent that causes transmissible spongiform encephalopathies is not found in the cows’ muscle tissue. Products containing prohibited materials such as “meat and bone meal” are another story, and we recommend avoiding them altogether – for your cats and your kids.
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Recently, we published promotional materials for WDJ (a pamphlet titled “Top Dog Foods for Total Wellness”) that contained information from an article published in our February 2000 issue concerning a food made by Eagle Pet Products, of Mishawaka, Indiana. At that time, the label of Eagle Pack Natural Formula indicated that it contained an ingredient we did not approve of (animal fat), and for this reason, we did not recommend the product. Shortly afterward, Eagle changed the label to reflect a species specific fat source (chicken fat), which improved our opinion of the product. Eagle Pack Natural Formula meets all our selection criteria for a “WDJ approved dry dog food.”
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Recommendations for the best dog food for your dog.
Dry food, homemade diets and recipes, dehydrated and raw options, canned food and more.
Brands, formulations and ingredients all searchable in an easy-to-use, searchable database.
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I’m taking this month off from writing an editorial. Instead, in memory of Rupie, here are some lyrics from a song by Ben Harper (copyright 1995, Virgin Records).
“By My Side”
Don’t you get ahead of me
and I won’t leave you behind
if you get unhappy
show me a sign
there’s no love like lost love
no pain like a broken heart
there’s no love like you and me
and no loss like us apart
by my side
by my side
won’t you be by my side
by my side
by my side
won’t you be by my side
– Reserve antibiotic use for those very rare occasions when they are necessary to save a life.
– If you absolutely must use an antibiotic, use it at the prescribed dosage and for the entire period of time recommended by the manufacturer.
– When feasible, use immune-enhancing and antioxidant supplements in place of (or to prevent the need for) antibiotics.
– Give your dog probiotics during and after antibiotic use to restore and promote healthy bacterial flora.
– Avoid using antibiotic-laden household cleansers; these help create resistant bacteria.
I’ve been fortunate enough to have lived through an era of one of medicine’s most dramatic miracles. Unfortunately, I may also live long enough to witness the miracle come full circle. Unless we get a firm grip on the two-headed monster of antibiotics, I’m scared we may be in for a self-induced era of monstrously killer “bugs,” powerful infectious agents that will actually be able to feast on any of the manmade antibiotics we toss their way.
Actually, we are almost there now. Our refusal to listen to the very people who developed antibiotics some six decades ago; our quest for the quick-fix, silver-bullet answer to all diseases; our human hubris, thinking that we are smarter than nature; and perhaps some of the very assumptions that have been the mainstay of Western medicine (e.g., the belief in the germ theory of disease, and the “us against them” model of medicine where we “confront the enemies as if we were at war with them”) – all of these have played an active part in helping to create a world where most species of bacteria are now able to develop resistance to most, if not all, the antibiotics we are able to manufacture.
And, despite what some may try to tell you (typically, those who have a vested interest in the commercial production or distribution of antibiotics are the loudest drumbeaters for the drugs), there is absolutely no evidence that we will ever be able to stem the tide of resistant bacteria . . . no matter what technology we are able to develop in the future. It turns out that bacteria are smarter than anything we have been able to develop to date – smarter than anything we have yet been able to conceive!
Furthermore, and perhaps worst of all, as we have tried to create an environment where we and our pets will never get sick, we have in fact created an environment that may be less healthy overall, and may actually be more harmful to future generations.
On the up side of all this is the hope that we animals can still create and perpetuate a harmonious environment with nature by using the natural methods of health and healing – herbal medicines, acupuncture, homeopathy, etc. Along with this use of natural medicines, perhaps we can also learn the lesson of the importance of living with nature; as we live today, it is a life-threatening certainty that the model of trying to dominate nature isn’t working.
There are at least four areas of concern when we use antibiotics:
1. Resistant strains of bacteria that will make future treatments for this patient difficult, if not impossible;
2. Resistant strains in the environment that may create super strains of bacteria that could affect entire communities;
3. Destruction of the normal flora that lives on us all and that is actually beneficial; and,
4. Adverse side effects.
Resistant Bacteria Strains
Here’s what’s been happening on the “germ warfront” while you and I were apparently asleep at the wheel:
The original production of a class of synthetic biochemicals that eventually became known as antibiotics began in the early 1940s, so we animals and our environment have had only a few decades to test the short- and long-term effects of synthetic antibiotic use. Already it is apparent the experiment has gone awry.
By one account, in 1946, just a few years after the introduction of penicillin, 14 percent of the bacterial strains isolated from sick patients were already resistant. By the end of that decade, the frequency had jumped to 59 percent in the same hospital. Today almost all species of bacteria have developed resistant strains; many species have strains that are at least 70-80 percent resistant to one or more antibiotics; and some bacterial strains are almost 100 percent resistant to nearly all the antibiotics currently available.
Interestingly, even back in the early days of antibiotic discovery, while they were being touted by some enthusiasts as absolutely miraculous, silver-bullet germ killers, the very people who were instrumental in their development were warning us about their potentially harmful aspects. These early scientists, including Louis Pasteur, Alexander Fleming, and Rene J. Dubos, all understood that there were shortcomings to the antibiotics as medicine, and they warned us of dire consequences if we did not understand the naturally adaptive mechanism of evolution that the “bugs” would use against us and our antibiotics.
The dire predictions of the early scientists were well-founded. The basic “job” of a species of bacteria, as with any species, is to survive and reproduce. Whenever a colony of bacteria is confronted with a potentially lethal mechanism (in this case, synthetic antibiotics), one of its natural survival mechanisms is to evolve ways to protect itself from the invader.
Bacteria, with their extremely rapid reproduction rate, are uniquely adapted to use evolution as a survival mechanism. No synthetic antibiotic yet produced has been able to kill 100 percent of the pathogenic bacteria it is meant to kill (without also killing the patient). Given the fact that just one surviving bacterium can produce an entirely new, antibiotic-resistant generation within days, it only takes an extremely small percentage of survivors to regenerate a new subspecies of resistant bacteria.
But bacteria are even “smarter” than this, and they have “learned” how to develop even more insidious methods of avoiding the killing powers of antibiotics. Bacteria contain plasmids – mini-chromosomes that can carry genetic information about methods of avoiding antibiotics from one generation to another in what we think of as the normal evolutionary manner.
With bacteria, however, the scenario goes beyond simple evolution. A bacteria’s plasmids can transfer antibiotic resistance information from one species to another (say, from streptococcus to staphylococcus), and the plasmid can transfer resistance information about more than one antibiotic at a time. So, if one streptococcal strain survives an insult from several different antibiotics (say, penicillin, ampicillin, lincomycin, tetracycline, and cephalexin) and thereby “learns” how to resist each of these antibiotics, this streptococcal strain can transfer this multiple antibiotic resistance “know-how” to its offspring and to other, entirely different species of bacteria.
There’s more. Recently, scientists have discovered that many bacteria have the ability to somehow predict the mechanism of destruction the next antibiotic we produce will use – and they are not only able to form resistance to antibiotic pressures they have never been exposed to, but also can transfer this ability to other species of bacteria.
It’s no wonder that experts in the field of antibiotics have been worried, from the time when the drugs were developed to now.
To be sure, it is true that many of the resistant strains of bacteria likely have been created by inappropriate use of the antibiotics. Whenever a patient does not use the full antibiotic dosage or does not continue the dosage throughout the full time-frame recommended by the manufacturer, more bacteria will be left alive to evolve ways to avoid the antibiotic pressure. However, even given perfect compliance with antibiotic dosage amounts and length of time, there will always be some bugs that aren’t killed, and some of these bugs will ultimately learn how to resist the antibiotics being prescribed to kill them.
Resistant Strains in the Environment
In 1942 the total amount of antibiotic available in the entire world amounted to about 32 liters of penicillin. Today some 20 million pounds of antibiotics are used annually in this country alone. As we’ve seen, every time an antibiotic is used, it creates an environment where bacteria are “encouraged” to evolve protective mechanisms, and the result is that our environment has become literally saturated with resistant strains of bacteria.
Much of the total amount of antibiotics produced in this country (some estimates indicate more than 80 percent of total production) is fed to food animals at sub-therapeutic levels – levels that promote animal growth (and allow for cheaper meat for the consumer), but that allow for a faster production of resistant bacterial strains. It is a simple matter for these resistant strains to be passed to farmers and people living nearby. Of course, this transfer of resistance can go the other way too – from people to animals.
The concern doesn’t end with food animal production. Consider that perhaps 100 to 150 million dogs, cats, and other pets are ingesting antibiotics each year – each of these with the potential to cause resistant strains of bacteria. Horticulturists and farmers use antibiotics to wage war on plant bacteria, and even our waterways are contaminated with antibiotics. Then there’s the recent movement to hyper-hygiene, an attempt to remove any and all “bugs” from the household environment by coating every surface with “protective” antibiotics.
Every year we are literally dumping millions of tons of antibiotics into our living environment – each ounce of antibiotic with the potential to create yet another antibiotic-resistant strain of bacteria.
Furthermore, scientists have shown that multiresistant bacteria spread to others as a contaminant (meat contaminated with very small amounts of multiresistant salmonella, for example) has a much better chance of causing severe infection (in our example case, life-threatening diarrhea) in those people who are currently on antibiotics. In other words, ingestion of antibiotics is an important contributing factor in the increased likelihood of getting severe disease when exposed to resistant bacteria, whatever the source of the bacteria.
There may be an even deeper problem for us pet lovers. As the problem of antibiotic resistant bacteria grows, in order to reserve at least some antibiotic effectiveness for severe cases in people, there will likely be more hue and cry that we quit using them entirely for “lesser” species such as dogs and cats. Already considerable effort has been made toward banning the agricultural antibiotic use in food animals to promote growth, and that effort is certain to eventually extend to our pets.
There are a myriad of reasons – for our health, for the health of the environment, and for the future health of our pets – that we should be concerned about the overuse of antibiotics.
Spread of Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria
In the mid-1970s after an outbreak of resistant salmonellosis in a hospital newborn nursery in Connecticut was traced to an infected calf on a nearby farm, an experiment was conducted to monitor the potential for spread of resistant bacteria from farms.
Two groups of chickens were monitored for nine months – one group was fed sub-therapeutic levels of the antibiotic oxytetracycline (much as is the current practice to enhance growth and production); the other group acted as control (no antibiotics used). Feces were examined from the chickens, from farm workers, from a farm family living about 200 feet away, and from neighboring families whose children attended the same schools.
Within 24-36 hours of feeding the oxytetracycline-laced feed to the chickens, their intestinal Escherichia coli were converted from susceptible to those that were mostly resistant to tetracycline. Over the ensuing three months, E. coli appeared that were not only resistant to tetracycline but also to ampicillin, streptomycin, and sulfonamides, even though the chickens had never been fed these drugs. In fact, no one had used these drugs on the farm at all.
Gradually, after five to six months, increased resistance appeared in the intestinal E. coli of the farm family members. By the sixth month, the E. coli were resistant to four to five different antibiotics, and this phenomenon of multiple resistance in farm inhabitants occurred even though they were not taking the tetracycline, nor were they eating the chickens.
Other experiments have shown that a similar spread of resistant bacteria can occur between many, if not all, animal species.
Destruction of Normal Flora
About 1014th (one hundred thousand billion) bacteria live on the skin and in the gut of a normal, healthy human being. This amount is about 10 times more than all the tissue cells that make up an average 150-pound person. Almost none of these bacteria ever cause harm, and many of them are not just beneficial, they are absolutely necessary to maintain a healthy inner and outer environment. For example, a healthy gut actually requires that certain bacterial species be present in adequate numbers, and many of the bacteria normally found on the skin help provide a healthy protective activity against outside invaders.
Only a very small percentage of bacteria ever become pathogenic (causing harm), and the body has many natural mechanisms to keep these pathogens from gaining a foothold. What’s more, it almost always takes some change in the normal body’s homeostatic mechanisms to allow these species to revert to unhealthy ones.
If you use an antibiotic that is effective enough to kill most of the pathogenic bacteria, you have not only instigated the process of creating resistant bugs, but also set off the reaction that can kill many of the beneficial bugs in and on the body. The most common symptom you’ll see from the kill-off of the beneficial bacterial species is diarrhea, the result of destroying the normally protective flora of the gut. However, many medical scientists now speculate that a loss of the normal flora of the body may ultimately lead to chronic conditions such as immune-mediated diseases and cancers.
Adverse Side Effects of Antibiotics
If we think only of the extent of the direct problem, adverse side effects may be one of the least of our antibiotic-related concerns. But, in a perverse way, this habit of Western medicine to rely on statistical numbers may be a prime contributor to the overall problem.
Even though life-threatening reactions to antibiotics (anaphylactic reactions) occur only rarely, they do occur. And the fact that they are rare is certainly no solace to that one-in-several-hundred-thousand patient who has just become a statistic.
Other side effects are much more common, although they typically affect only a small percentage of the patients being treated. Some antibiotics may be, depending on the individual’s sensitivity to the drug being used, toxic enough to destroy one or more of the patient’s organ systems. More commonly, side effects are said to be “mild” and they are generally thought to be reversible when treatment is discontinued.
To my way of thinking, it is this “hidden” aspect of antibiotic adverse reactions that is as dangerous, if not more dangerous, than the actual reactions themselves. (See “Hidden Dangers of Antibiotics.”) Because they are “hidden” and so rarely observed, adverse side effects are often totally discounted. As a result, treatments (often inappropriate treatments) are instigated without even considering adverse side effects.
Worse yet: Because we veterinarians have typically been so cavalier in our approach to antibiotics, it has been easy for us to use them in inappropriate ways. Over the years it has become common practice for many of us to prescribe antibiotics to treat disease-causing agents that are not affected by antibiotics (viral diseases, for example). Also, we often have used antibiotics as a means to cover for less-than-sterile surgery techniques. And this is to say nothing about those of us who have recommended low levels of antibiotics to enhance growth in food animals. Because each of these practices allows more resistant strains of bacteria to emerge, all of them have helped create the tremendous numbers of resistant bacteria in the world today.
Hidden Dangers of Antibiotics
An illustrative true story: I once had a veterinarian call me, mad as a wet hen. “What the hell is this stuff you recommended for Ms. Smith’s dog?” he demanded in a huff. “I don’t recognize any of what you wrote down. I’m guessing they’re all some kind of herbal crapola or something like that. Is that right?”
“What seems to be the problem?” I asked, trying to remain calm, and he responded that whatever it was I had recommended, according to the lab results he had just received, was destroying the dog’s kidney.
So, I reviewed what I had recommended and didn’t recognize any of the herbs on my list as potentially nephro-toxic. I relayed that information to the doctor, and I also gave my usual disclaimer: “You know that any medicine may cause adverse reactions in certain individuals, so I suppose that what we could be dealing with here is an individual sensitivity to one or more of the herbs I’d recommended.”
Then I asked, “Out of curiosity, are you treating this patient with any Western medicine?”
“Hell, yes!” he replied. “This dog is sick, really sick. I’ve had him on gentamicin for better than a week now.”
Gentamicin, along with other aminoglycoside antibiotics, is well-known as being toxic to the kidney (as well as being toxic to ears and creating neuromuscular problems); gentamicin can cause acute cell death to the kidney’s tubular epithelial cells. Read the package insert and this is spelled out loud and clear. So, I calmly asked my irate caller, “Tell me, doctor, have you ever heard of the potential for causing renal problems from using gentamicin?” Upon which he hung up.
Read the package insert of any antibiotic and you’ll see that a certain percentage of all patients using it will have some sort of adverse reaction. Common side effects, depending on the antibiotic being used, might include: diarrhea, skin rash, joint pain, headaches, behavioral changes, abnormal bone or tooth growth, or, as in the case of gentamicin, ear, kidney, and neuromuscular toxicosis.
(Incidentally, just because adverse side effects are listed on the package inserts of antibiotics, don’t expect that your veterinarian has read them. A recent survey of physicians indicated that only a very small percentage of those surveyed had read any package insert during the past 12 months. Instead, they relied on drug company representatives to provide them with information pertinent to the drugs they bought. A similar survey is not available for vets, but I’d expect the results to be similar.)
Usually, adverse symptoms are passed off as being mild or reversible when treatment is discontinued, and because they are usually rare, the fact that they even exist is simply ignored. Then, because we practitioners ignore the possibility of side effects, we tend to feel it’s safe to use them, even when they might not be indicated. With a false sense of security, we blithely go about our business, prescribing antibiotics willy-nilly.
Don’t Create Resistant Bacteria
There are several general things you can do to help avoid the creation of resistant bacteria in your household:
• Synthetic antibiotics can be life savers – life savers that can have dire consequences if used inappropriately. Reserve their use for those rare occasions when they are absolutely necessary to save a life.
• Not all symptoms are bad. Fever, for example, is one method the healthy dog uses to overcome bacterial infections. Resist using antibiotics for every little ailment that comes along life’s pathway.
• If you absolutely must use antibiotics, use them at the recommended dosage and for the entire period of time recommended by the manufacturer.
• Avoid the routine use of antibiotic-laden household cleansers that can only perpetuate the creation of resistant bugs. Let your dogs (and your family!) develop their own immunity to the naturally occurring bacteria in the environment by interacting naturally with them. Bathe your dogs only when absolutely necessary.
Support Your Dog’s Defenses
In addition to reduced and more thoughtful use of antibiotics, there are several natural methods we can use to maintain our dogs’ health and to treat any disease that may arise:
• Probiotics (which literally means “for life,” as compared to antibiotics, which means “against life”) help your dogs maintain a healthy bacterial flora. These beneficial, “good-guy” bacteria are found in the gut in enormous numbers, with smaller numbers occurring in other locations on the body – the vagina, mouth, and skin, as examples. Probiotic species include several species of Bifidobacterium and Lacto-bacillus.
Probiotics have a number of healthful functions including enhancing digestive functions; maintaining control over potentially hostile yeasts and pathogenic bacteria; helping to maintain normal levels of certain hormones; helping to decrease cholesterol; and acting as anti-tumor agents. Perhaps their most vital activity, though, is their ability to destroy bacteria by producing natural antibiotic products.
Probiotics are easily killed by synthetic antibiotics, and returning them to their natural habitat is essential for the long-term health of any animal that is or has been on antibiotic therapy.
The ideal way to recharge the gut with healthy bugs is to supplement with a probiotic product that contains one or more of the abovementioned species. A dollop of unsweetened natural yogurt on top of your dog’s daily meal will go a long way toward helping him maintain intestinal health. If you are dealing with a specific disease, though, you may need to check with your holistic vet for the appropriate probiotics to use.
• Immune-enhancing and antioxidant supplements can sometimes be used in place of (or to prevent the need for) antibiotics. As the body defends itself against bacteria and the polluting toxins from the environment, cells form oxidative products or free radicals that are toxic to inner tissues. Antioxidants counter these toxic byproducts and in turn enhance the ability of the immune system to function properly. Several nutrients, including vitamins A, C, E, selenium, and zinc, act as antioxidants.
Herbal antioxidants include almost all the spice herbs, such as basil (Ocimum basilicum), oregano (Origanum vulgare), thyme (Thymus vulgaris), and cayenne, (Capsicum annuum), along with many others. Herbals that have a direct effect on the immune system include astragalus (Astragalus membranaceous), echinacea (Echinacea spp.), calendula (Calendula officinalis), and thuja (Thuja occidentalis).
You can provide these as a supplement to the diet on a daily or weekly basis, and the beautiful aspect of herbs is that they can often simply be added to the diet as a tasty sprinkle atop your dog’s food. Do a taste test to see which herbs he likes the best; it’s these herbs that are likely to be the ones he needs the most. Herbs and nutritional supplements can also be given at therapeutic levels whenever an infection arises. Check with your holistic vet for dosages.
• Few people are aware that there are many herbs that offer antibiotic action without concomitant risk of resistance. Within many herbs lies an almost complete medicine chest of substances that are active against a wide variety of microorganisms. There are two keys here: 1) a typical herb contains dozens of bioactive ingredients, and 2) these bioactive ingredients have activity against many different microorganisms, including the viruses where synthetic antibiotics are totally ineffective.
From a practical standpoint, this means it is extremely difficult for any one bacterial species to develop resistance to all the different bioactive mechanisms contained in a single herb plant. Also, the herb will likely be effective against a variety of micro-organisms – another bonus when we worry about creating antibiotic resistance.
On the other hand, herbal medicines do not contain gargantuan amounts of any one bioactive substance, so their effects are often mild and relatively slow-acting. This fact tempts some makers of herbal products to extract and concentrate the bioactive substances that they believe contribute the most to the herb’s beneficial action. But remember: If we remove one of the active ingredients of an individual herb and attempt to use the extract against a specific bacteria, we have returned to the basic paradigms of Western medicine that have gotten us into trouble with synthetic antibiotics.
I strongly feel that it’s best to use whole herbs. They may be generally mild and tend to work slowly, but due to their basic makeup, whole herbs are active against many microorganisms at once, making it extremely difficult for any bacterial species to become resistant.
Some of the common herbs with active antibiotic activity include: aloe (Aloe vera); calendula (Calendula officinalis); echinacea (Echinacea spp.); garlic (Allium sativum); goldenseal (Hydrastis canadensis); lavender (Lavendula officinalis); licorice (Glycyrrhiza glabra); oregano (Origanum vulgare); peppermint (Mentha piperita); sage (Salvia officinalis); and thyme (Thymus vulgaris).
• Many of the alternative medicines, including homeopathy, acupuncture, chiropractic, etc., work by restoring whole mind/body/spirit balance, and it is this restoration that allows the physical body to create an inner environment inhospitable to pathogenic bacteria.
Homeopathy is said to act by enhancing the patient’s “vital force.” Acupuncture is supposed to balance whole-body “chi.” By aligning the spine, chiropractic enhances the body’s “innate” ability to return to homeostasis. While none of these methods is specific for “fighting” germs, perhaps this is their real saving grace as medicines; while helping the patient return to normal health, none of these methods destroys beneficial bacteria, nor do any of them force the bacteria to develop resistance.
Antibiotic Summary
I am personally scared to death that antibiotic use may become the single most formidable opponent to health we have ever seen in human history. I pattern my fears after many other medical scientists, from those who “discovered” antibiotics to today’s more enlightened scientists and practitioners; see the bibliography below for a partial list. If I didn’t succeed in scaring you, I hope you will at least think long and hard before you let your veterinarian use or prescribe antibiotics for your dog.
There are lots of natural ways to prevent and combat infections. We have used some of these methods for millennia; neither our species nor those of our animal companions were on the brink of extinction before we discovered antibiotics! Some infection-fighting methods use substances that already occur in nature, and the best do no harm to the powerfully healing environment all of us living creatures rely on.
Dr. Randy Kidd earned his DVM degree from Ohio State University and his Ph.D. in Pathology/Clinical Pathology from Kansas State University. A past president of the American Holistic Veterinary Medical Association, he’s author of Dr. Kidd’s Guide to Herbal Dog Care and Dr. Kidd’s Guide to Herbal Cat Care.
Are you thinking about adding a second (or third, or fourth) dog to your household? Will your current dog be thrilled with a new friend? Will the dogs play with each other, romp together, and keep each other company in your absence? Or will adding another dog to your home create disharmony, chaos, or worse?
Living in a multi-dog home can be very rewarding. I have to admit that nothing warms my heart more than seeing our two girls playing or sleeping together; their affection for each other is truly a joy to behold. And there are other great reasons for adding another dog to your household:
• You have room in your heart for a new family member.
• You want to provide a good home for a dog in need.
• You have the time, money, and space.
• You think your dog would enjoy the companionship of another dog.
But living with multiple dogs brings a whole new set of challenges. Adding a second (or third, or fourth) dog means more fun, more love, more joy and more wonderful doggy companionship. But it also means much more from you: more time, more money, more energy, and more working through problems.
For example, many people consider adding a second dog to their households because their first dog seems lonely, and this is understandable. However, it may be a mistake if it’s your primary or only reason. Bringing a new dog home doesn’t mean the two dogs will immediately become friends. Nor does it mean your dog will be less lonely, play more, or have a better life. In fact, it could mean more stress, especially during the adjustment period, and less attention from you.
Another reason people adopt a second dog: “I saw him at the pet fair and fell in love.” While having an emotional affinity with a dog is a part of what makes our human/dog relationships work (and adoring the new addition can really help when he pees on your favorite rug), sometimes, falling in love with a particular animal can cloud common sense. In the case of a multi-dog household, our emotions need to be dramatically tempered with common sense.
Remember, having a second dog always requires an output of more time and energy. You will also need to be sure that you really do have enough money, space, and affection for two or more dogs. In addition, you’ll need to make sure that your current dog is suited for living with another dog.
Is your dog a good candidate?
There is no single way to determine if a dog will do well with another dog in the home. In general, dogs that are confident, calm, and friendly toward other dogs may be good candidates for the multi-dog household. Finding a suitable companion for a dog who is nervous, shy, or fearful around other dogs may be much more difficult.
If your dog has never lived with another dog, take some time to evaluate your dog’s personality and his or her affinity with other dogs. Does your dog, in general, get along well with other dogs? Does she play with other dogs? Does she have dog friends? Does she only like certain dogs? How is her confidence level around other dogs? How does your dog behave if another dog visits your home?
If you are not sure of the answers to these questions, you might want to do a bit more research before you make a decision about whether or not to add a second dog. Consider taking your dog to a play group, doggy day care, or another place where he or she can engage with well-socialized dogs. Consider having a “trial run” by fostering a dog or having a suitable dog friend come and visit for a weekend. Talk to your trainer or other animal care providers and ask their opinion on whether your dog would be a good candidate multi-dog household.
Use special caution if your dog displays aggression toward other dogs. A dog who is aggressive with other dogs outside the home may or may not be able to learn to live with another dog. In some cases, aggressive dogs do very well with dogs that are part of their pack. In general, however, finding a suitable companion for a dog with aggression issues will be much more difficult (remember that any new dog you bring into the home will, at least initially, be outside the pack) and safety will need to be a primary consideration. If your dog has any type of aggression issues and you would like to consider adding another dog, consult with a good behavior counselor to help you make the decision.
Even if a dog is generally friendly toward other dogs, he or she may not be a suitable candidate for a two-dog home. Older dogs who have always been the “only dog” may find a new dog in the home upsetting. If you and your dog are extremely close, he may have trouble “sharing” you. Dogs who are shy around other dogs (even if they are not aggressive) may find the addition of another dog simply too stressful.
When NOT to get another dog
There are some very good reasons to keep your house as a home to only a single dog. You may want to think twice about adding another dog if:
• You don’t really have enough time for your current dog. Getting a second dog won’t fill a void left by your lack of time. You’ll simply have two dogs that aren’t getting enough attention. A handout from the Humane Society of Silicon Valley (Santa Clara, California) suggests that a second dog will take about five extra hours a week of your time (I’d double that estimate for a young, energetic dog).
• You can’t afford a second dog. Consider not only the basic costs of food, grooming, toys, and regular veterinary care, but also the big costs, like a serious illness.
• Your dog has behavior problems or is not yet trained. Adding a second dog is likely to compound behavior problems, not solve them. For example, instead of having one dog who barks while you are at work, you are more likely to end up with two barking dogs. In addition, it is much easier to train your first dog before you bring a new dog into the home. (I know from personal experience that two unruly dogs are exponentially more exasperating than one!)
• You’re going through other life changes, like a new home, new baby, or loss of an older family dog. Wait until high stress times have settled and your home is stable before adding the additional stress of a new dog.
• You like your dog and your life exactly as it is now. Sometimes, we want to add a second dog because we anticipate the future – such as our dog growing older or even dying – and want to get a second dog to help ease the transition. While this is a valid sentiment, adding a new dog now will change the dynamics of your family. Your new dog may demand more of your attention, making it difficult to maintain the same level of relationship you’ve enjoyed with your first dog.
• You’re walking past an adoption center, you see a cute puppy in a window . . . Stop. Think twice. Go home and talk it over with your dog.
Finding a second dog
Bringing a new dog home is adding a new family member. Each of the family members will need to “get along” with the new addition – people and animals alike. Think long and hard about what you want in a new dog. Are you looking for a couch potato dog to hang out with after a long day at work? Do you want a running companion or a playmate for your younger dog? Do you want a dog to travel with? Do you enjoy dog sports like agility or obedience? Do you have cats or other animals to consider? For the sake of harmony in the home, also think about the type of dog that will be the most suitable match for your current dog.
Some of the things to consider are gender, size, and age. Most experts agree that, as a rule, male and female dogs get along better than two females or two males. However, that being said, I’ve known many households (including my own) that successfully have two of the same gender dogs without any problems at all.
It is also generally safer to have dogs nearer in size; they can be better matched as playmates and there is less risk of accidental injury. The rule of thumb is that the two dogs should not have more than a 50 percent difference in weight. But again, under the right circumstances and with precautions, many larger and smaller dogs share a home with few problems.
Age of the dogs involved can also be an important factor. There is really no “right or wrong” when deciding what age a new dog should be, but rather consider the overall dynamics. For example, if you have a very old dog, a puppy could simply be too much. You may need to manage the environment so that the puppy doesn’t badger the older dog with requests of attention and play. On the other hand, an older dog can be a good role model for a younger dog and many older dogs still enjoy puppies. Dogs of similar age may make good playmates, but they may also be more likely to compete for status within the family.
Temperament and personality may be the best determinants. A dog whose personality complements, rather than competes with, your current dog’s personality can be a very good match. For example, if your dog is outgoing to the point of being pushy, he or she may do well with a friendly but less demanding dog. Another good match may be pairing a shy dog with an outgoing, confident dog.
Pay attention to the type of dog that your dog “likes” as well. While many puppies and young dogs play with just about anyone who will engage, mature dogs often have a few select “friends.” Notice the personalities of your dog’s friends. For example, pay attention if your dog generally does well playing with quiet females, but avoids rowdy adolescents.
When choosing a new dog, if possible, have the dogs meet each in a neutral location before making a decision. Pay attention to how they respond to each other. If your instincts tell you it isn’t a good match – no matter how much you adore the potential new dog – keep looking.
Adopting two dogs
Ask just about any trainer: What do you think about adopting two dogs at the same time? Many experts respond with an emphatic, “Don’t do it!” Lots of people do adopt two dogs, sometimes siblings, at the same time. And I admit that I’ve made this “mistake” more than once and it has worked out just fine. But I’ll also admit that each time I’ve done it, I’ve sworn up and down that I would never do it again! Why? Because the amount of work, energy, and effort is much more than simply having two dogs.
Adopting two dogs (or worse, two puppies) at the same time is simply asking for several years of chaos. It may be fun. It may even be worth it. But it will for sure be chaotic. The dogs will likely develop a stronger bond with each other than with you, making for a longer, more difficult road when it comes to training and socializing. You can, of course, counter that tendency by keeping the dogs separate, working with each individually, and establishing your relationship first – though this may not be a realistic option in an average home.
The one exception I would add to the “rule” that discourages adopting two dogs together is when two dogs who have always lived together are being re-homed. In this case, the loss and stress already being experienced by the dogs may be significantly reduced by keeping them together.
Helping the dogs get along
Once you’ve made the decision to live with two or more dogs, you can do a whole lot to help maintain peace and harmony among your pack. The first step is to make the initial meeting as pleasant as possible.
In November, Jay and Lisa Fitz, of Aptos, California, adopted a three-year-old Smooth Fox Terrier, Sally, from a rescue group. Their careful planning and search for a perfect companion for their eight-year-old Wire Fox Terrier, Chester, seems to have paid off. After a few short weeks of living together, Sally and Chester began playing together and her youthful energy is definitely helping him to be more active.
The Fitzs enjoyed a unique and ideal situation when introducing Sally and Chester. First, they were able to have the two dogs meet in a yard at the rescue kennel. Then, because the rescue kennel was six hours from home, the two people and two dogs spent the night in the completely neutral environment of a hotel room.
“With Chester ignoring Sally and Sally being very scared, this didn’t look like an ideal scenario, but it worked out really well,” says Lisa. The four slept together in a king-sized hotel bed waking up the next morning as one happy family. “Almost magic!” said Fitz.
If the introductions go well and you bring your new dog home, you can continue to help the dogs get along by providing strong leadership. If you are clearly in charge from the start, then your dogs won’t have to compete for leadership. By simply controlling resources (such as food, access to the outdoors, toys, and attention from people), you can establish yourself as the leader. Insist that the dogs are polite – with you and with each other – in order to gain access to those resources.
Expect your dogs to get along, but avoid taking sides if they don’t. Consoling a dog who seems to be getting picked on, or scolding a dog for initiating a conflict could easily backfire. For dogs with inherently good social skills, let them negotiate minor, nonviolent differences without interfering. If the dogs are headed toward a major confrontation, however, you can step in and redirect the dog’s behavior before the conflict escalates. If your dogs repeatedly argue, or if you have a dog who bullies or doesn’t pay attention to the other dog’s efforts to set limits, get help from a qualified trainer or behavior counselor right away.
Set your dogs up for success. Feed them in separate bowls and even separate rooms or crates if they appear competitive about food. Make sure they have their own toys and beds. Respect their differences and their individual needs and make sure you spend time with each separately where they can have your undivided attention. Teach them polite behavior – like sitting for treats or to be petted – so they learn that competition and pushiness won’t get them what they want, but being polite will.
Under the right circumstances, sharing your home with two or more dogs can be extremely rewarding. Dog energy multiplied by two or more can fill a home with exuberance, love, and joy. Living with multiple dogs can also be a very interesting and wonderful way to learn more about how dogs behave and communicate with each other. In addition, many dogs are much happier and more playful with another dog in the home. But remember that for some dogs, and their people, having an “only dog” is really best.
1. Manage your dog’s destructive behavior with crates, leashes, tethers, baby gates, and (if needed) daycare providers, to prevent her from practicing the unwanted behaviors.
2. Give your dog plenty of exercise and keep her mouth and mind occupied with appropriate chew objects and tasks.
3. Control yourself when slip-ups occur and your dog destroys something valuable or dear to you. It does NO GOOD to emote around the dog.
4. Work with a positive behavior consultant and veterinarian if your dog’s destructive behaviors are beyond your ability to manage and modify.
You arrive home from work, dreading what you are going to find. Your fears are realized as you walk through the door and discover tufts of sofa cushion stuffing scattered in snow-like drifts across your living room floor. Your 10-month-old Border Collie, Darby, grovels at your feet, obviously aware that she’s been a very bad dog. You knew she was going to get even with you for leaving her home alone all day. Right?
Wrong!
Owners often misunderstand their dogs’ motives for destructive behavior and misinterpret their dogs’ responses when the damage is discovered. The result of this lack of understanding is often the inappropriate application of verbal and/or physical punishment, which, ironically, can make the problem even worse.
Dogs are normally destructive for one or more of five reasons, none of which involve spite, malice, or “getting even.” The five reasons are:
• Stress: Physical activity relieves stress. A stressed human may pace the floor, go jogging, chew her fingernails, or tap a pencil on the table or a foot on the floor. Chewing, digging, and other destructive behaviors are stress relievers for dogs. Stress-related destructive behavior can be relatively mild, or turn into full-blown separation anxiety.
• Teething: A young dog can be in mild to somewhat severe discomfort when his new teeth are pushing through the gums, and until they are fully emerged at 18-24 months. Chewing helps relieve teething pain, which is one of the reasons puppies and adolescent dogs are such dedicated chewers.
• High jinks: Dogs explore the world with their mouths, and young dogs are particularly motivated to explore the world around them, as so much of it is new and exciting. Does this taste good? Does this feel good? Is this fun to play with? In addition, baby dogs and juveniles tend to have high energy levels, and sometimes go on a rampage in a burst of feel-good energy, similar to a teenager who trashes the house with a beer party when his parents unwisely leave him home alone for a weekend.
• Boredom: Busy dogs need something to do. The herding breeds especially can be workaholics; if you don’t give them a job, they’ll create one, and it may not be one that meets with your approval.
• Habit: If a dog is poorly managed and allowed to repeatedly engage in destructive behavior during his formative months (the first one to two years) he may develop destructive behavior habits that can continue throughout his life. In contrast, if he is well managed for his first two years, he is unlikely to pick up destructive behaviors later in life – unless his environment changes drastically and causes him undue stress.
Dogs Are NOT Guilty
Whatever the underlying cause of your dog’s destructive behavior, it’s important to realize that dogs don’t do things out of spite. Their brains simply don’t work that way.
When you come home to a dog-trashed house and your dog grovels at your feet, the most likely explanation is that she can see by your body language that you’re upset, and offers deference signals – ears back, submissive grin, crawling on the floor, rolling on her back – in an attempt to divert your wrath away from her. She doesn’t know why you’re upset, but she can tell that you’re about to be dangerous.
Even if you haven’t seen the damage yet, your tension over the anticipated destruction you might find could well be enough to induce her to go belly-up, especially if she is a “soft,” non-assertive dog.
Occasionally a client will insist that her dog knows better. She may offer the garbage can scenario as proof that her dog knows he’s done wrong.
“I get up in the morning, haven’t even gone into the kitchen yet, have no reason to think there’s a problem, so there’s no way I’m giving body language signals,” she’ll say. “Yet Rowdy walks into my bedroom with that guilty look on his face, and I know immediately that he’s been in the garbage.”
Dogs don’t feel guilt. To think they do implies a belief that they have a moral code with an intrinsic sense of right and wrong. They can learn that certain behaviors have good consequences and others have bad consequences. They can learn to have positive associations with certain environmental cues, and negative associations with others. But they simply don’t have the capacity to make moral judgments about human values.
In the garbage scenario, chances are that Rowdy has come to associate the presence of garbage on the floor and your arrival in the kitchen with some level of owner disapproval, and he’s already sending appeasement signals in the hope that your disapproval won’t land on him. I can pretty much bet he wasn’t thinking about moral behavior when he was spreading garbage around the kitchen – he was probably fully engaged in garbage play. Nor was he likely thinking, “My owner is going to be really mad later, but it’s worth it!” Dogs live in the moment, and in the moment that he got in the garbage, Rowdy was just making good stuff happen. The simple solution? Put the garbage can where he can’t get to it, or get a covered garbage can that he can’t open.
If you are convinced your dog “knows” he is guilty of wrongdoing when he gets into the garbage, try this experiment: Strew trash around the kitchen yourself, out of your dog’s sight. Then let him into the kitchen and ask him if he made the mess. Chances are he’ll display his classic “guilty” behaviors, even though he had nothing to do with the garbage on the floor.
Dogs Need to Learn Self Control
It’s understandable to feel frustrated and angry if you come home after a hard day at work to a house that looks like it’s been hit by a tornado. However, any punishment you issue at this point is totally useless and ineffective in altering your dog’s behavior. She probably ripped up the sofa cushions hours ago. Dirty looks and stern words may make you feel better in the moment, but will do nothing to change your dog’s behavior, other than teaching her to associate your return home with bad stuff.
I won’t even mention how physical punishment is inappropriate. If you’re going to use it (which I strongly recommend against!) it must happen within a few seconds of the undesirable behavior in order for the dog to be able to make the connection. You can’t do that when the behavior occurred hours earlier.
At worst, you might calmly invite Darby into her crate so she is out of harm’s way while you clean up the mess and vent your wrath with broom and mop on the unfeeling kitchen floor.
Management, Not Punishment
The solution to Darby’s destructive behavior is management, not punishment. As always, prevention is far simpler than cure, so crate training is an invaluable puppy lesson that can help your dog avoid destruction that arises from stress, teething, and high jinks, and prevent her from having the opportunity to develop destructive habits. (See “Crate Training Made Easy“.)
If you missed the opportunity to crate-train your dog as a pup, it may not be too late. Many adult dogs can easily learn to love their crates. I first ventured hesitantly into crating when I got an Australian Kelpie puppy in 1981. On her third night in our home, as I carried Keli to her crate, I heard an odd thumping noise emanating from its depths. I peered in, and there was Caper, my three-year-old Bull Terrier, wagging her tail loudly against the plastic crate wall, asking me in clear canine vocabulary to get her a crate too. I did, and have been a firm crate disciple ever since.
It may take your adult dog longer to accept the crate than a puppy, but if you take the time to convince her that the crate is a wonderful place to be, she will probably decide that being crated is okay.
There are exceptions. Many dogs with separation anxiety (SA) cannot tolerate being crated – the confinement causes them to panic, and they often injure themselves in their desperate and sometimes successful attempts to escape. If your dog is easily stressed but not displaying classic signs of SA, be extra careful about not adding to her stress with forceful crating techniques. (See “Taking Measures to Prevent Separation Anxiety Behaviors,” and “How to Help A Dog with Separation Anxiety“.) In addition, any displays of your displeasure can move a moderately stressed dog toward the “full-blown” end of the SA scale.
Some adult dogs who don’t suffer from anxiety are also unwilling to experience the joys of crating. Options for destructive dogs who can’t be crated include dog-proofing a room or kennel run for her to stay in where she can’t do damage; taking her to a doggie daycare center; or leaving her in the custody of a friend, neighbor, or family member who is home all day and willing to dog-sit. Some lucky owners are able to take their dogs to work with them. If you are one of these, be sure to supervise your canine shark closely at work so she doesn’t destroy things at the office – or you may lose your dog privileges.
Dogs with SA can often be helped with behavior modification in combination with anti-anxiety medications that can be used to lower their stress levels and help them be more able to cope. Check with your behavior consultant and/or veterinarian if you think this might be appropriate for your dog.
Exercise Your Dog for Better Behavior
Along with management, exercise can be an important element of your destruction reduction program. Exercise reduces stress and eliminates one of the primary causes of high jinks behavior – those high energy levels. Even teething and habit-related chewing can be diminished with a good exercise program. A tired dog is a well-behaved dog – and a happy owner.
Structured exercise of some kind is best; it keeps the dog focused and minimizes out-of-control arousal. Play fetch with a ball, toy, stick, or Frisbee, and require that she sit politely each time before you throw. Play tug of war, and insist that she play by the rules, which include that she give the tug toy to you when requested, and not grab it again until invited. (See “Tug-O-War is a Fun Game to Play with Your Dog“.)
Remember that a walk around the block on leash is not sufficient exercise for any young dog; it’s a mere exercise hors d’oeuvre. Try a long hike in the hills – off-leash if legal and your dog is under control, and on a long line if he’s not yet ready for off-leash hikes. As you watch your dog run circles around you, you’ll realize why a leashed walk barely puts a dent in his energy. Other people may find it’s easier to find a professional dog walker to exercise and thoroughly tire out the dog. Some dog walkers offer half- or full-day outings to the beach or other open spaces. (Be sure that any dog-care professionals you hire are fully on-board with your force-free training and handling philosophy.)
My first Kelpie and I would hike to the top of a hill, and I’d throw the ball down the hill for her to retrieve, over and over, taking advantage of the incline to give her even more of an exercise benefit.
Mind Games for Dogs
Boredom chewing can often be resolved by giving the dog something to do. Our current Kelpie, Katie, has decided that her house job is to gently herd our youngest cat, Viva. Her attention span is phenomenal. Watching Viva can occupy Katie for hours on end. If Viva is sleeping on the back of the sofa, Katie sits and stares at her. If the cat walks through the house, Katie follows her, nose to tail. Outside, Katie herds Tucker, our Cattle Dog mix, and when we go to the barn she thinks she herds the horses, although they mostly ignore her.
If you don’t have a dog who obsesses on herding all creatures great and small, you can create games that will exercise her mind. The Buster Cube and the Roll-A-Treat Ball, available online and from most pet supply stores and catalogs, are perfect for this. Treats are placed inside the ball or cube, and your dog must push the object around the room to make the treats fall out.
Training is another way to exercise your dog’s brain. A good positive training class makes dogs think, and they have to think hard. Dogs generally come home from a training class and sleep like logs – and then you practice at home all week, encouraging him to work that brain every day.
“Find It” is another great brain game to play. Before you leave, hide treats all over the house, in reasonably easy-to-reach places. Don’t hide them under the sofa cushions or in other in places that will encourage your dog to dig or chew – you’re trying to make that behavior go away, remember? Your dog can spend hours looking for all the treats!
Some dogs make up their own games. I know of at least two Border Collies who will carry a tennis ball to the top of the stairs and push it off, watch it bounce down and then chase after it and do it all over again.
If your dog is under the age of two and still doing teething-related chewing, you’ll be wise to keep valuable objects out of her reach and supply her with plenty of chewable objects. A stuffed Kong is my Scottie’s favorite chew toy. Even adult dogs enjoy a good chew now and then, so keep that Kong around – or several, if you have a multi-dog household.
If destructive behavior happens while you are home with your dog, you need to ratchet up your supervision program so she doesn’t have the opportunity to get into things she shouldn’t. Crates, leashes, tethers, and baby gates are all useful management tools.
There are lots of Demolition Darbies out there. With good management, your dog doesn’t need to be one of them.
1. Watch for early signs of mounting, and take appropriate steps to discourage them as soon as they arise.
2. Neuter your male dog sooner, rather than later.
3. Use “Good Manners” training and a “Say Please” program (described below) to create structure in your household and give yourself a control advantage.
4. Seek assistance from a positive trainer/behavior consultant if you’re not making progress on your own, or if you don’t feel comfortable addressing the behavior on your own.
Luke had been at the shelter for more than a month, and the staff was delighted when the two-year-old Cattle Dog mix was finally adopted to what seemed like the perfect home. Introductions at the shelter with the adopter’s other dog went reasonably well – although the two didn’t romp together, they seemed perfectly willing to peacefully coexist. Luke went to his new home just before Christmas. Before New Year’s, he was returned.
Her cheeks damp with tears, the adopter explained that the two dogs were fighting. Luke insisted on mounting Shane. Shane would tolerate the rudeness for a while, but when he finally let Luke know that he found the behavior unacceptable, a battle would ensue. The intensity of the fights was increasing, and the adopter was concerned that one or both of the dogs was going to be badly injured. I discussed the situation with her, and agreed that returning Luke was the right decision.
Dog Mounting is NOT About Sex
First, we’re not talking about sexual behavior displayed by intact male and female dogs used for breeding. High hormone levels and normal sexual responses to other intact dogs are different from “problem mounting.” Sometimes, an owner will report that when her young dog plays with other dogs, he gets overstimulated and will attempt to mount another dog or even just “air-hump” for a few seconds. In preadolescent and neutered dogs, this is generally a byproduct of physiologic arousal – an inappropriate response triggered by sensory stimuli, motor activity, and/or emotional reactivity.
The dog who is most likely to be reported as having a real mounting problem is the dog who routinely mounts people, or, like Luke, who mounts other dogs to the point of provocation. This sort of mounting behavior has nothing to do with sexual activity. Rather, it’s often a social behavior, and sometimes a stress reliever. Nonsexual mounting of other dogs is generally a dominance, control, or challenge behavior, although when practiced by puppies it’s primarily about play and social learning, beginning as early as 3-4 weeks. Mounting of humans is strictly nonsexual; it may be about control, it can be attention-seeking, and it can be a stress-reliever.
Dogs will also mount inanimate objects. Our Pomeranian will hump our sofa cushions if we leave the house and take all the other dogs with us. While some dogs do sometimes masturbate for pleasure, in Dusty’s case I’m convinced he’s not seizing a moment of privacy for self-gratification, but rather mounts the cushions as a way to relieve his stress of being left home alone.
In fact, if dogs did wait for some private time to engage in their mounting behaviors, most owners would be far less concerned about it. But dogs, having no shame, are far more likely to take advantage of a visit from the boss or the in-laws to display their leg-hugging prowess. Regardless of how much you love your dog, it’s embarrassing to have him pay such inappropriate attention to your guests.
Get Your Dog to Stop Humping
Like a good many canine behaviors that we humans find annoying, inconvenient, or embarrassing, mounting is a perfectly normal dog behavior. And like other such annoying, inconvenient, and embarrassing behaviors, it’s perfectly reasonable for us to be able to tell our dogs to stop mounting!
Brief bouts that involve mounting of other dogs in canine social interactions might be acceptable, as long as they don’t lead to bloodletting or oppression of the mountee. Mounting of human body parts rarely is, nor is mounting that, as in Luke’s case, leads to dogfights.
So, if there’s a Luke whose mounting behavior is wreaking havoc in your family pack, what do you do?
The longer your dog practices his mounting behavior, the harder it is to change. So it’s logical that the sooner you intervene in your dog’s unacceptable mounting, the better your chances for behavior modification success.
Neutering is an obvious first step. A 1976 study found an 80 percent decrease in mounting behavior following castration. (This is far more often a male dog behavior problem than a female one.) The same study determined that within 72 hours of surgery, the bulk of hormones have left the dog’s system. Since mounting is partially a learned behavior as well as hormone-driven, the extent to which neutering will help will be determined at least in part by how long the dog has been allowed to practice the behavior. Just one more strong argument for juvenile sterilization, between the ages of eight weeks and six months, rather than waiting for your dog to mature.
When Your Dog Humps Other Dogs
Luke, at age two, had been practicing his mounting behavior for many months. In addition, as a mostly Cattle Dog, he was assertive and controlling. When Shane attempted to voice his objections, Luke let him know that he would brook no resistance. Shane, a Shepherd/Husky mix, also had an assertive personality, so rather than backing down in the face of Luke’s assertions of dominance, he fought back. Neither dog was willing to say “Lassie,” and so the battles escalated.
In contrast, we later introduced Shane to a somewhat timid but playful four-month-old Lab puppy. Dunkin also attempted to mount Shane in puppy playfulness. But when Shane snapped at Dunkin, the pup backed off apologetically; in a short time the two were playing together, with only occasional puppy attempts to mount, which were quickly quelled by a dirty look from the older dog. No harm, no foul.
Similarly, you will need to work harder to convince your adult, well-practiced dog to quit mounting other dogs than you will a young pup, and there’s more potential for aggression if the recipient of unwanted attentions objects.
With both young and mature dogs, you can use time-outs to let your dog know that mounting behavior makes all fun stop. A tab (short, 4- to 6-inch piece of leash) or a drag-line (a 4- to 6-foot light nylon cord) attached to your dog’s collar can make enforcement of time-outs faster and more effective when you have to separate dogs – as well as safer.
Set your dog up for a play date with an understanding friend who has an understanding dog. Try to find a safely fenced but neutral play yard, so that home team advantage doesn’t play a role. If a neutral yard isn’t available, the friend’s yard is better than your own, and outdoors is definitely preferable to indoors.
When you turn the dogs out together, watch yours closely. It’s a good idea to have some tools on hand to break up a fight, should one occur.
If there’s no sign of mounting, let them play. Be ready to intervene if you see the beginning signs of mounting behavior in your dog. This usually occurs as play escalates and arousal increases, if it didn’t happen at the get-go.
As a first line of defense, try subtle body-blocking. Every time your dog approaches the other with obvious mounting body postures, step calmly in front of your dog to block him. If you’re skilled, you may be able to simply lean your body forward or thrust out a hip or knee to send him the message that the fun’s about to stop. This is more likely to work with a younger dog, who is likely to be less intense about his intent to mount. Be sure not to intervene if your dog appears to be planning appropriate canine play.
If body blocking doesn’t work, as gently and unobtrusively as possible, grasp your tab or light line, then cheerfully announce, “Time out!” and lead your dog to a quiet corner of the play yard. Sit with him there until you can tell that his arousal level has diminished, and then release him to return to his playmate. If necessary, have your friend restrain her dog at the same time so he doesn’t come pestering yours during the time out.
Keep in mind that the earlier you intervene in the mounting behavior sequence, the more effective the intervention, since your dog has not had time to get fully involved in the behavior. Also, it’s important that you stay calm and cheerful about the modification program. Yelling at or physically correcting your dog increases the stress level in the environment, making a fight more likely, not less.
With enough repetitions, most dogs will give up the mounting, at least for the time being. With an older dog for whom the habit is well ingrained, you may need to repeat your time-outs with each new play session, and you may need to restrict his playmates to those who won’t take offense to his persistently rude behavior. With a pup or juvenile, the behavior should extinguish fairly easily with repeated time outs, especially if he is neutered. Just keep an eye out for “spontaneous recovery,” when a behavior you think has been extinguished returns unexpectedly. Quick re-intervention with body blocks or time-outs should put the mounting to rest again.
Does Your Dog Only Hump Humans?
This embarrassing behavior is handled much the same way as dog-dog mounting. One difference is that you must educate your guests as to how they should respond if your dog attempts his inappropriate behavior.
Another difference is that some dogs will become aggressive if you physically try to remove them from a human leg or other body part. It works best to set up initial training sessions with friends who agree to be human mounting posts for training purposes, rather than relying on “real” guests to respond promptly and appropriately, at least until your dog starts to get the idea.
For your average, run-of-the-mill human mounting, ask your guests to stand up and walk away if your dog attempts to get too cozy. Explain that it is not sexual behavior, but rather attention-seeking, and anything they try to do to talk him out of it will only reinforce the behavior and make it worse. You can also use a light line here, to help extricate your friends from your dog’s embrace, and to give him that oh-so-useful “Time out!” If the behavior is too disruptive, you can tether the dog in the room where you are socializing, so he still gets to be part of the social experience without repeatedly mugging your guests.
If your dog becomes aggressive when thwarted, he should be shut safely away in his crate when company comes. Social hour is not an appropriate time to work on aggressive behavior – it puts your guests at risk, and prevents all of you from being able to relax and enjoy the occasion.
If your dog becomes growly, snappy, or otherwise dangerous when you try to remove him from a human, you are dealing with serious challenge and control behavior. You would be wise to work with a good behavior consultant who can help you stay safe while you modify this behavior. The program remains essentially the same – using time outs to take away the fun every time the behavior happens – but may also involve the use of muzzles, and perhaps pharmaceutical intervention with your veterinarian’s assistance, if necessary.
Do Dogs Masturbate?
Dog owners are often surprised to discover that some dogs masturbate. Our diminutive Dusty discovered early in life that he was just the right height to stand over a raised human foot and engage in a little self-pleasuring if the person’s legs were crossed. We squelched that behavior as soon as we realized what the heck he was doing.
There’s no harm in it, as long as the objects used are reasonably appropriate (say, a washable stuffed animal that’s his alone, as opposed to your favorite sofa cushions), and it doesn’t become obsessive. Removing an inappropriate object or resorting to time outs can redirect the behavior to objects that are more acceptable.
I’ve also known dogs to engage in push-ups on carpeting as a way to enjoy self-stimulation. You can use the time out if your dog chooses to do it in front of your guests, or whenever he does it in the “wrong” room (such as on the living room Berber), and leave him alone when he’s in the “right” room (such as on the indoor-outdoor carpet on the back porch).
If your dog practices the behavior to a degree that appears obsessive – a not uncommon problem in some animals, especially in zoos – then you may need some help with behavior modification.
A behavior is generally considered obsessive when it is causes harm to the animal or interferes with his ability to lead a normal life. If your dog is rubbing himself raw on the Berber carpet, or spends hours each day having fun in the bedroom, that’s obsessive behavior. There are behavior modification programs that can help with canine obsessive/compulsive disorders, and they often require pharmaceutical intervention, especially if the obsession is well-developed.
Other Ways to Modify Humping Behavior
In addition to specific behavior modification programs for mounting behavior, a “Say Please” program can be an important key to your ultimate success. No, we’re not suggesting you allow your dog to do inappropriate mounting if he says “please” first! A Say Please program requires that he perform a deferent behavior, such as “sit,” before he gets any good stuff, like dinner, treats, petting, or going outside. This helps create structure in the pack, and constantly reminds him that you are in charge and in control of all the good stuff. Since a fair amount of mounting has to do with control, Say Please is right on target.
“Good Manners” classes are also of benefit when you are mounting your defense against your mounting dog’s behavior. If he’s trained to respond promptly to cues, the “ask for an incompatible behavior” technique can serve to minimize mounting. If you see your dog approaching a guest with a gleam in his eye, your “Go to your place” cue will divert him to his rug on the opposite side of the room. He can’t “Down” and mount a leg at the same time. Nor can he do push-ups on the rug if he is responding to your request for a “Sit.”
If you start early and are consistent about discouraging your dog’s inappropriate mounting, you should be successful in making the embarrassing behavior go away.
Pat Miller, WDJ’s Training Editor, is a Certified Pet Dog Trainer, and past president of the Board of Directors of the Association of Pet Dog Trainers. She is also the author of, The Power of Positive Dog Training and, Positive Perspectives: Love Your Dog, Train Your Dog.
I recently fostered a dog who first greeted me at the shelter that I sprung her from by jumping up on me. I spent the first two days with her almost exclusively working on preventing her from jumping. When I introduced her to a friend, my friend immediately held her arms out and greeted the dog’s enthusiastic jump up with a big hug, petting, and cooing
